The Internet offers endangered languages a chance to have a public voice in a way that would not have been possible before.
David CrystalRead
Bilingualism lets you have your cake and eat it. The new language opens the doors to the best jobs in society; the old language allows you to keep your sense of 'who you are.' It preserves your identity. With two languages, you have the best of both worlds.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Bilingualism enriches personal and professional identity by allowing access to opportunities while preserving cultural heritage.
David Crystal's quote emphasizes the dual advantages of being bilingual. It suggests that learning a new language not only enhances career prospects but also helps maintain one's cultural identity through the retention of the old language, thereby allowing individuals to navigate both spheres of their existence effectively.
Themes
BilingualismIdentityLanguageOpportunityCulture
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the advantages of language learning during a school presentation.
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All quotes →The main effect of the Internet on language has been to increase the expressive richness of language, providing the language with a new set of communicative dimensions that haven't existed in the past.
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